What does it mean to fast-track your UK visa application?

Some specialist immigration solicitors offer a fast-track service for visa applications. This usually means that they will get your application together, send it to the Home Office, and request a fast-track review for you. After this, you will have to attend an appointment at the Home Office with your chosen solicitor to present your application.

Once you have attended your appointment, rather than waiting weeks, or even months for a response, you will receive a decision within just twenty-four hours. Thus, to fast-track your application means that you will be put in the metaphorical ‘fast lane’ at all stages of your application, getting seen to and getting your answer much quicker than usual.

Why choose to fast-track?

There are a range of reasons why a person may choose to fast-track their application, depending on what type of visa they are applying for. For example, if they are applying for a visa to join family in the UK they might choose to fast-track so as to not miss out on precious family time.

Or, if a person is applying tostudy in the UK they might have a deadline by which they must have their application sent off or accepted by, so need to fast-track their application in order to guarantee that they have an answer by a certain date. The same may apply for those for are applying to come to the UK for work – their employer may need them to begin on a specific date and so they would need to be sure that the application decision is received as soon as possible.

Alternatively, some people may just rather not wait to hear back from the Home Office, because it can take quite a long time, especially if they have had a lot of applications recently.

Visas that can be fast-tracked

Whether your visa application can be fast-tracked will depend on what solicitor you choose to represent you. However, it is possible to fast-track the following visa types:

A dependant visa – this visa enables a parent to bring their child or children to join them in the UK

A work visa – this includes temporary worker visas, long-term worker visas and intra-company transfer visas

A business visa – including the innovator, start-up and investor visas

A study visa – this includes visas for short-term study or general study, and for switching into this category from another eligible visa category

It is also possible to fast-track applications for settlement and whenapplying for British citizenship. Of course, in order to be successful in any of these applications the applicant must meet all the necessary requirements laid out by the Home Office. Specialist immigration solicitors will be able to ensure that you meet all the requirements before they accept you as a fast-track applicant.

Visas that can’t always be fast-tracked

Unfortunately, not every visa application can be fast-tracked. It is not always possible tofast track spouse visa UK applications, for example. This is down to the fact that if you are applying to come to the UK on the grounds of your relationship, civil partnership or marriage, you will both have to provide a lot of evidence to prove that your relationship is genuine.

For example, to be successful in your spouse visa UK application you will have to give evidence that your relationship has been going on for a certain amount of time. This may be in the form of emails, texts, call logs or photos together. Because a lot of evidence going back for years has to be gathered, it might not always be possible to fast track spouse visa UK applications. If you want to be absolutely certain, your best bet is to pay an expert immigration solicitor a visit and ask them to explain everything to you.